100
by headtrip parade
Summary: A series of various content drabbles. Mostly Rayna/Deacon centric with some Maddie.
1. Chapter 1

**I've always had a love/hate relationship with drabbles- it's both**** interesting and challenging to try and pack a lot of something into exactly 100 words, but it's also a little bit of a bummer because there's always so much more that needs to be said. I put together six drabbles for this project, but I'm very much open to expanding these if you guys are interested in seeing any of them go further. Just say the word. :)**

***These drabbles are also**** not in any way related to each other, nor are they in any kind of particular order. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Cousins.**_

Maddie leaned over the guitar in her lap and stared at the notepad in front of her. Lyrics were scrawled in every direction on the paper; some sideways, some diagonal, and many with dark, heavy lines scribbled through them.

She reached for the fountain pen on the table and effortlessly scratched out another line, quickly replacing it with another line beneath it.

She made a mental note to buy some pencils as she looked up from the sheet.

"So we definitely want to change that part?"

"Yeah," Scarlett answered. "I think it sounds better this way."

Maddie smiled.

"Me too."

* * *

_**"I Read the Paper."**_

Stacy sat the mug down softly on her kitchen bar top, slowly steeping the green tea bag and resting her feet limply on Sue's back as he and his bone got comfortable underneath her.

Yawning, she unrolled the fresh newspaper. Her heart skipped at the sight of Rayna's photo on the front page alongside Deacon's mangled SUV—_QUEEN OF COUNTRY IN CRITICAL CONDITION; GUITARIST ARRESTED FOR DUI IN CRASH. _

Hot tears sprang to her eyes as she lamented for a split second that she couldn't help him.

_He made his bed._

_Pull yourself together._

_Take a breath._

_Turn the page._

* * *

_**"Can Yo**__**u**__** Sing?"**_

"…but don't you ever say you're done with music."

"You too, okay?"

She nodded slowly, tears filling up her eyes as she fought ever fiber to not collapse in his arms.

She needed to feel his lips on her temple; she needed to breathe in the scent of his soap. She needed to feel his busted hand caressing her back as she wailed and kicked and cursed everything and everyone around her.

He was the only one in the world who got her, yet he was a million miles away. She had made sure of it.

"You need to go."

* * *

**_Bargain._**

Rayna paced the floor of the tiny tiled bathroom.

Her oversized sweat pants drug the ground and her massive t-shirt swallowed her whole, leaving nothing but two skinny sticks for arms.

Just as she caught a glimpse of her gaunt, nauseous face in the mirror, she also found herself bargaining. She begged; pleaded.

_It can't happen this way. _

_I'll go to church. I'll feed the homeless. I'll REALLY finally let him go._

She hadn't bartered like this since her mother's accident—it didn't work then.

She looked down at the stick in front of her.

_Positive._

It hadn't worked now.

* * *

_**Royalty.**_

"…and the CMA for Best New Artist of the Year goes to…"

She sighed hard. She was country royalty—when they could get a glimpse into her young life, the press had dubbed her the "Princess of Country," so she wondered how her first trip to the CMAs wasn't until now at 19. She'd been raised by the six crystal awards sitting in her mother's living room.

She'd finally made it, though. She was here, between her parents, grabbing each of their hands and squeezing hard.

She wanted this so badly her stomach lurched. She held her breath.

"Maddie Jade."

* * *

**_Epiphany._**

She tossed the throw blanket onto the floor and stood up, turning the TV off as she did so.

He remained on the couch, watching her perfectly tangled hair cascade over the wrinkles in her t-shirt. His boxers didn't fit her, but she insisted on wearing them.

She turned to face him. There wasn't an ounce of makeup on her skin and his heart still nearly stopped at the sight of her.

"You coming, babe?"

She'd never looked more beautiful; more _stunning_ to him than she did right then. He had to have her.

Forever.

"You wanna get married, Ray?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's another small series of drabbles I put together. It's one of the easiest and hardest things to do, writing everything you need to write in exactly 100 words. Expansions are probable- let me know which ones you'd like to see! Enjoy. :)**

* * *

_**"What Are Y'all Doin' Tonight?"**_

"Mom?"

Maddie rounded the corner into her bedroom, greeted by the sight of her mother on the bed, staring at her hands.

"You coming? I picked out Steel Magnolias. You always said you'd watch it with me when I was older. I think I want to now."

Rayna looked up, earlier tear stains still damp on her face.

"Such a good movie but we can watch it a little later, sweetheart. Right now you need to get dressed."

Maddie narrowed her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, baby. We're going out… to the Bluebird."

Maddie shrugged, confused.

"We're going to see Deacon."

* * *

_**"I Shouldn't Love You."**_

Rayna stirred, rolling onto her back and reaching for him behind her.

Her hand landed on his chest and she released the breath she'd been holding.

"You okay?" He asked softly.

She nodded, failing to mention she often woke like this.

"Good. You know… I was thinking…"

"Thinking what?" She grinned.

"Maybe I shouldn't love you."

"Why's that?"

He kissed her temple.

"Because I'm damn sick of you stealing the covers."

She smiled; opening her mouth to receive his kiss as his hands tentatively wandered her body.

"Shouldn't love me, huh? Sounds like a song."

"We can write it later."

* * *

_**Headline.**_

"Hey babe," Rayna yawned as she wandered into the kitchen, kissing Deacon on forehead as he stared at some magazine publication in front of him. "I'm starving. I could go for a BBQ pizza."

He glanced up.

"It's 8 AM."

She grinned, looking over his shoulder at what he was reading.

_FREAKIN' DEACON!—Rayna Jaymes expecting third child with longtime guitarist at 42._

She tried to control it, but fits of outright giggles completely consumed her.

Deacon glared at her, embarrassed.

"This ain't funny."

"Well, Freakin' Deacon," she rubbed her barely-there, growling bump. "It beats '_Strumming Keeps Her Humming'_, no?"

* * *

_**PawPaw. **_

Maddie cried herself out on the floor for what felt like hours.

"_Your PawPaw had another heart attack. He's dead."_

She felt another sob escaping as she recalled how uncharacteristically cold her mother had been when she just waltzed into her room and delivered the news around 11 that night.

She'd wanted to cling to Rayna, but just as fast as she'd walked in and spoke, she was gone.

She wiped her eyes and reached for her phone, dialing the first person she thought of.

"Maddie?" He answered groggily. "Everything okay?

"No," She wailed. "My PawPaw's gone, Deacon. He's gone."

* * *

_**Tour.**_

Deacon crammed the last bit of equipment into his truck and slammed the door, turning to face his three most important women.

Daphne hugged him quickly, excitedly rambling that she'd see him when he returned.

Rayna clung to him for an eternity, kissing him relentlessly and begging him to be safe on the road while wishing him luck.

Maddie embraced him with all the power in the solar universe.

"I love you," she said promptly and without hesitation. "Good luck."

He was stunned; he'd heard the words before, but from his daughter was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.

* * *

**_Grandmother._**

"Hey,"

He gripped the phone tightly, ever so afraid that it would slip from his clammy hands at any given second.

He'd been meticulously planning this phone call like it was a doomsday shelter itinerary almost since he'd found out about Maddie, but it was only now when he was actually building a relationship with her that he could bring himself to press send.

Truth be told, he still wasn't sure he knew exactly what to say even after he'd pressed it.

"I'm sorry I haven't called you back. I have to tell you something… I have a daughter, mama."


End file.
